9 incredible features of this Android phone that costs $17,000

Israeli startup Sirin Labs on Wednesday unveiled a new smartphone called "Solarin," which boasts an application that allows users to wipe the phone from remote locations and encrypted calls, texts, and emails.

Solarin is currently available for purchase online and at Sirin Labs' store in London. The phone will make its way to high-end London department store Harrods on June 30.

Considering the phone's hefty price tag — and its launch event peppered with celebrities like Leonardo DiCaprio and Victoria's Secret models — it's no surprise that the phone is marketed at the rich. Solarin's desired customer, per its press release, is an "the international business person who carries a lot of sensitive information but doesn't want to compromise on usability, quality or design."

But the phone's high-level security also has some concerned that the phone could fall into the wrong hands. According to TechCrunch, customers will need a valid passport in order to purchase the smartphone, and the phone won't be sold in a number of countries. Sirin Labs did not respond to Tech Insider's inquiry on which countries would be barred from buying Solarin.

A switch on the back of the phone turns on Solarin's Security Shield, which promises military-grade encrypted voice calls and messages.

Thanks to software from security company Zimperium, the phone purports to be protected from high-level cyber attacks.

Courtesy of Sirin Labs.

"We're not saying it's unhackable," Zimperium CEO Zuk Avraham told CNN. "But at least we will detect it... We'll be able to reverse-engineer the attacks, see what they tried to do. Even disinfect the phone without the user having to do anything."

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The phone uses software from Swiss technology company ProtonMail to encrypt emails.

Courtesy of Sirin Labs

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An additional application will allow Solarin users to locate, lock, and wipe their phones remotely, according to CNN.